EXPEDITION TO NEW GUINEA.

Cromwell Argus, Volume VI, Issue 311, 27 October 1875, Page 7

EXPEDITION TO NEW GUINEA.

INTERESTING PARTICULARS. The missionary steamer Ellen Gowdan left Somerset on August 25, and proceeded to the south-west coast of New Guinea, and after intricate navigation, wore the ship through reefs and sandbanks, and entered, on the Ist September, a river, the mouth of which is a mile and a-half wide. The land is low and swampy, with mangroves. Proceeded 13 miles, and anchored at sunset. A sharp watch was kept, but there were no natives. In the morning the party landed. The river banks aro 20ft high and are composed of pipeclay. Here we found native footprints. Saw distinct smoke, and tracks of wild boar were abundant. The width of the river here was half-a-mile. The steamer proceeded upwards till 11 o’clock. The scenpry was delightful, with groves of bamboo of tropical growth, and open paths of forest country. Later in the day a canoe with one occupant was seen. He dashed away to the scrubby bank and vanished, leaving his boat. The river banks became higher, with stately timber, and numerous streams and off-shoots. The steamer pursued the main channel. Ob serving the bamboo clumps thinned, a party went ashore, and found that the bamboos had been felled by some sharp instrument. Botanical specimens were collected. The steamer went 44 miles up the river, and anchored at its junction with another large stream, the river here being a mile wide. & The next morning the look-out reporting no natives, all went on shore, and foundplenty of freshwater, the river being brackish. The steamer went on till 3 in the afternoon! The river banks were beautiful, with large palms, resembling cocoa-nut, to the waters’ edge. The steamer anchored GO miles up the river, and sent a small lifeboat up a branch of the stream. The lifeboat went 12 miles, and saw a plantation six acres in width, with a strong fence. It contained yams, sugarcane, and tobacco. No natives were seen. The steamer went on until the river got narrower, and the water was quite fresh. It was estimated to bo 90 miles from the mouth by the windings. A party now landed, and found birds of Paradise plentiful. Shot three, and killed an enormous boa-constrictor 15ft long. It had swallowed a kangaroo. The party cut off the snake’s head and tail. They found cloven-hoof tracks, supposed to, be made by buffaloes. Suddenly a great bird flew up, fully 16ft across its wings from tip to tip, and in flying made.a great noise. The party let into the bark of the tree a photograph of Queen Victoria, and fancifully suspended articles round the trunk, then fired a salute with small-arms, and gave three cheers for the Queen, after which they returned to the steamer.

The ship Chevert also made explorations. The reefs were troublesome, and she dropped anchor 18 miles from the mouth of the Katou Uiver and village of Mohatta. Next morning the ship was visited by two canoes, about 12 men in each. Tn one was Waino, a chief of Mohatta, and in the other Owta, a chief of another village. Boats’ parties from the ship landed, numbering 22, and were received by chiefs of the tribe. The manners and customs were the same as described by Moresby, .Tubes, and other visitors to New Guinea. The peonle are powerful and wellmade, jet black, with straight foreheads and aquiline noses ; hair woolly and in small tufts or compact ringlets. The men are naked, and the women have but a scan tv covering round the loins. The women do all the work, and the men fish, hunt, and fight. They have bamboo bows and arrows 4ft long, are great navigators, and go long distances. They hew canoes of large size from the trunk of the coral tree. There are numerous pigs, and no indication of cannibalism, but human skulls are seen in houses. Thirty miles from the coast, visible from the shin, are mangroves or commit palms, and interminable mud flats, densely covered with trees of all kinds and sizes The driest snols are chosen .by the natives for taro, and banana plantations, which are intersected by many ditches. The natives also cultivate yams, sweet potatoes, crotons, aid other showv-leaved plants. The country pioduces likewise cocoa-nuts, sago, breadfruit &c.

Parties from the ship walked along the beach, attendedby all the who were delighted. Attempts to penetrate the jungle were ineffectual, but the next dav the steam launch wa< started up the river, Waino and Owta being on board. The Katon is 200vds wide at tie mouth, but narrows to r.Oyds and 30yds at the highest point reached. For the first two miles the river passes through a dense forest of mangroves, afterwards a very beautiful palm country, where huge trees rise from the surface to the height of nearly fiDft,- Behind these was a lofty, interminable forest, excepting occasionally a banana w taro plantation. Rome lovely views were obtained of trees, birds, (fee. The expedition ufts now stopped by a tree across the river, after ascending eight or nine miles, so they had to return, which was unfortunate. It anpea-ed that before ascending so far they ought tohave communicated with the chief of the villaje, but the guides were in hones that their sudden arrival at the largest village would so surprise people that they might he easilr appeased ; but their turning back seemed to arouse the whole country. Frightful noises were made in all directions, and the hunch was apparently followed some miles by infuriated savages. The natives, however, were pacified, and subseouently showed losnitality. It is concluded that neither the black nor yellow inhabitants are averse to foreign visits.—Melbourne correspondent, Otago Guardian.